{"id":285137,"date":"2026-02-07T04:57:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-07T04:57:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/285137\/"},"modified":"2026-02-07T04:57:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-07T04:57:13","slug":"stop-binning-cardboard-because-it-has-clever-garden-use","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/285137\/","title":{"rendered":"Stop binning cardboard because it has clever garden use"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"withoutCaption\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/recycled-cardboard-boxes-6722969.jpg\" class=\"zoomEnabled\" data-img=\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/13\/1200x712\/secondary\/recycled-cardboard-boxes-6722969.jpg?r=1770295871554\" alt=\"Mini recycled cardboard boxes grouped on green artificial grass\" title=\"Mini recycled cardboard boxes grouped on green artificial grass\" width=\"590\" height=\"393\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/p>\n<p>A professional gardener has shared an alternative use for spare cardboard (stock image) (Image: Getty)<\/p>\n<p>A gardener has shared a \u201cclever\u201d alternative use for cardboard packaging that would otherwise be thrown out or banished to the recycling bin.<\/p>\n<p><a data-link-tracking=\"InArticle|Link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.express.co.uk\/life-style\/garden\/2131435\/put-cardboard-gardens-winter\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Cardboard is often used<\/a> to keep online orders safe during transportation and deliveries, leaving many people with quite the build up. However, Sunday Times bestselling author and <a data-link-tracking=\"InArticle|Link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.express.co.uk\/latest\/gardening\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">gardening<\/a> whizz Simon Akeroyd has a handy solution.<\/p>\n<p>The professional gardener, with more than 25 years of experience, recommends an eco-friendly way to use up the packaging. He urges people to create biodegradable pots for their outdoor areas.<\/p>\n<p>In a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.express.co.uk\/latest\/tiktok\" data-link-tracking=\"InArticle|AutoLink\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">TikTok<\/a> video, Simon provides a step by step demonstration. First, he begins by soaking the cardboard in water.<\/p>\n<p>After removing the wet cardboard from the water, it\u2019s malleable and he wraps it around empty glass jars and metal tins, before \u201cscrunching\u201d up the bottom, to create moulds.<\/p>\n<p> Read more: <a data-link-tracking=\"InArticle|Link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.express.co.uk\/life-style\/garden\/2167124\/houseplant-care-gardening-tips\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> \u2018I\u2019m a plant expert \u2013\u00a0here\u2019s 3 houseplants for every room in the home\u2019 <\/a><\/p>\n<p> Read more: <a data-link-tracking=\"InArticle|Link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.express.co.uk\/life-style\/garden\/2167095\/gardeners-put-torn-teabags-garden\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> Gardeners urged to put torn up teabags in garden in February <\/a><\/p>\n<p>Once dry, the cardboard can is set in the shape of a little pot \u2013 and, at this stage, it can be removed from the glass jars or tins to stand freely on its own.<\/p>\n<p>Text over the top of the footage reads: \u201cYou now have free biodegradable flower pots. Pop your seed into some compost and once it has germinated, you can plant your seedlings and pot directly into the soil.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Fresh text added: \u201cNo need to disturb the roots when planting as the pot will decompose and the roots grow through it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Simon added: \u201cEnjoy your free, eco-friendly flower pots.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In the caption, he elaborated: \u201cThis is a wonderful eco-friendly way to use up excess online, or cardboard packaging. It\u2019s also a great project to do if you run a school gardening club or a community garden.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;This is one of many gardening ideas or gardening hacks featured in my latest book, Way to Grow.\u201d<\/p>\n<p> <a data-link-tracking=\"InArticle|Link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"@simonakeroydgardener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@simonakeroydgardener?refer=embed\">@simonakeroydgardener<\/a><\/p>\n<p>This is a wonderful eco-friendly way to use up excess online, or cardboard packaging.  It\u2019s also a great project to do if you run a school gardening club or a community garden.  This is one of many gardening ideas or gardening hacks featured in my latest book Way to Grow.  Way to Grow &#8211; my new gardening book!  I&#8217;m so excited to share with you my new gardening book, Way to Grow!  My latest gardening book features 100 of my top tips to help you save time and money and have fun while growing plants.  If you like my videos and my previous book Grow Your Groceries, I&#8217;m sure you&#8217;ll love these!  Whether you&#8217;re a beginner or more experienced grower, there&#8217;s something for everyone.  Discover how to&#8230;  * Water pots with lengths of string  * Create a watering can from a milk carton * Scavenge sheep\u2019s wool to repel slugs * Feed plants with banana skins * Plant potatoes in a tower built from chicken wire * Grow a cactus from supermarket fruit  And much more!  So collect your coffee grounds, save those old tights, and get creative for garden greatness.  Way to Grow is out on 9th April and you can pre-order it now using the link in my bio.\u00a0Thank you so much for all your support!<\/p>\n<p> <a data-link-tracking=\"InArticle|Link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"\u266c Last Train to London - Electric Light Orchestra\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/Last-Train-to-London-7156625355065788417?refer=embed\">\u266c Last Train to London &#8211; Electric Light Orchestra<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>One TikTok user praised the idea and said: \u201cYou\u2019re so clever! Always thinking of new things!!!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Simon\u2019s new gardening book, Way to Grow, is released on April 9. In it, the experienced gardener details \u201c100 of [his] top tips to help you save time and money and have fun while growing plants.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s aimed at all people, from beginners to \u201cmore experienced growers\u201d and covers tips like how to reuse and repurpose coffee grounds and \u201cold tights\u201d, as well as ideas to \u201cwater pots with lengths of string\u201d, make a watering can out of a milk carton, and feed plants using banana skins.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>People keen to ward off slugs can learn how sheep\u2019s wool can be a natural repellent, and potato connoisseurs can plant their spuds in \u201ca tower built from chicken wire\u201d while plant lovers can learn how to \u201cgrow a cactus from supermarket fruit\u201d, among other tips.<\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A professional gardener has shared an alternative use for spare cardboard (stock image) (Image: Getty) A gardener has&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":285138,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[1153,24513,137175,137176,137179,24512,246,137180,15514,19876,61,60,29901,82,68425,137181,67236,137178,6116,137177],"class_list":{"0":"post-285137","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-environment","8":"tag-sustainability","9":"tag-biodegradable","10":"tag-cardboard","11":"tag-cardboard-packaging","12":"tag-eco-friendly-plant-pots","13":"tag-eco-friendly","14":"tag-environment","15":"tag-flower-pots","16":"tag-garden","17":"tag-gardening","18":"tag-ie","19":"tag-ireland","20":"tag-organic","21":"tag-science","22":"tag-seeds","23":"tag-simon-akeroyd","24":"tag-sustainable","25":"tag-sustainable-gardening","26":"tag-tiktok","27":"tag-way-to-grow"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/285137","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=285137"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/285137\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/285138"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=285137"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=285137"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=285137"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}